Council hears Orano update and Oklo seeks IND‑3 zoning as several rezoning items advance

Oak Ridge City Council heard two industry updates and advanced several rezoning items during its December meeting, including staff‑led land‑use amendments and owner‑requested rezones in industrial parks.

Jean Luc Poladier, introduced to the council as CEO and president of Orano, gave a company update and described coordination with city staff and the U.S. Department of Energy. “We’re still waiting for the big decision from the Department of Energy,” Poladier said, and outlined a timetable for site transfers (DOE → city IDB → Orano) that staff and he said they hoped to conclude in January, with a license application to the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission expected in the first quarter of next year.

Council then addressed a set of rezoning requests tied to parcels slated for transfer and private ownership. Staff explained a staff‑initiated rezoning for seven parcels in the Heritage Center Industrial Park from FIR to IND‑2 and presented a request to rezone about 146 acres (parcels that are not DOE‑owned) from FIR/IND‑2 to IND‑3 for uses requested by the applicant. Staff reiterated that DOE‑owned property would be rezoned only after transfer.

Representatives from Oklo were in the meeting to explain the company's timeline and site access. “I’m Faith Sanchez. I’m with Oklo,” Sanchez told the council, and said Oklo has access agreements with the city and DOE and tri‑party agreements for drilling with DOE, TDEC and EPA; she said Oklo plans active clearing in 2026, which is why the company requested IND‑3 zoning to support upcoming site work.

The council approved multiple rezoning and land‑use amendments on the record (motions were moved and seconded and a series of unanimous votes were recorded for the items brought forward); several items were given public‑hearing or second‑reading dates as required by the city code. Council members flagged the interplay between an upcoming nuclear‑industry overlay (NIO) district and an IND‑3 designation and asked staff to evaluate whether an overlay should be adopted before finalizing some industrial rezonings.

Rick Chen, an applicant representing a Horizon Center property owner, described a B‑2 rezoning request for a parcel at the Oak Ridge Turnpike and Imperium Drive and said the owner hopes to attract retail or hotel uses to serve growing industrial and residential development in the area.

Council did not adopt the comprehensive plan tonight and deferred additional language on a federal legislative agenda item until January to refine requests tied to DOE property transfer. Several rezoning motions moved forward to further readings or were approved consistent with statutory notice requirements.